Endless tracks or belts comprising a plurality of movable links have many industrial, commercial, and consumer applications. For example, multiple links can form an endless belt for an industrial conveyer system, an endless track for a military vehicle or bulldozer, or even an endless track for toy tracked vehicles. The prior art is replete with variously designed links and linking mechanisms and arrangements. Most of these mechanisms and arrangements involve some form of a removable pivot pin which holds the links together. These prior art pivot pins make the addition or removal of a link (in order to increase or decrease the length of the track) a rather complex procedure. Additionally, the prior art also has many examples of far simpler pin-less linking mechanisms. However, these design have limitations which have detracted from their usefulness in certain environments.
In this regard, the office's attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,901 to Lapeyre and U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,856 to Maine, Jr. Both of these references disclose pin-less linking mechanisms which are suitable for conveyer belt applications. In the Lapeyre reference, a link with a post is shown and which engages a cavity. However, given the shape and relative angle of the cavity, the post will easily slide out of the cavity in many situations because there is no positive coupling action between the post and the cavity. In the Maine, Jr. reference, there is a more positive coupling action, but the need in this case for full rotation between the respective links at virtually all angles, and the need for relative movement between links when the links are on the same plane, makes the links difficult to quickly couple and decouple. These shortcomings are mostly due to the usefulness of these links for conveyer applications. The links and linking systems disclosed in the patents to Lapeyre and Maine Jr. do not appear useful for tracks which might be employed for tracked wheeled vehicle applications.
Multiple designs and configurations for endless tracks for tracked vehicles, such as tanks, bulldozers, and the like, are disclosed in the prior art. These systems involve complex mechanisms designed to accommodate substantial loads and stresses. These systems appear to be specifically designed not to be easily reconfigured, and the technologies do not appear to be useful for tracked toy vehicle applications.
Recently, toy manufacturers have provided various kits which permit a hobbyist to assemble rather complex moveable toys, some of which may be remotely controlled. Such kits often permit the user to assemble robotic vehicles which then may be employed for leisure pursuits and recreational activities. Hobbyists sometimes prefer to build these same kits with ground engaging endless tracks in order to increase the usefulness and recreational value of the remotely controlled vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,259 discloses a simple endless track for a toy tracked vehicle which consists of a plurality of U-shaped wire links. Unfortunately, this design does not allow for the convenient removal or addition of links. Further, because the links are made of wire, there is typically little friction generated between the track and the surface on which the toy may operate. Consequently, the movement of the toy may be impaired when it is utilized on certain smooth or hard surfaces.
Therefore, there is a need for a endless track that can be applied to a toy tracked vehicle application, and that provides for positive, enhanced traction with the underlying supporting surface, and that further permits the easy removal and addition of links to accommodate hobbyists who may desire to assemble many different sizes of track, as might be required in a vehicle construction toy as described above.
An endless track which avoids the shortcomings attendant with the prior art devices utilized heretofore is the subject matter of the present application.